LOCATION MONVERO CA
Established Series
Rev: PGN-KDA-CEJ
01/2023
MONVERO SERIES
The Monvero series consists of very deep, somewhat excessively drained, sandy textured soils formed in material weathered from calcareous sandstone. Monvero soils are on slopes of 15 to 30 percent. The mean annual precipitation is about 11 inches and the mean annual temperature is about 62 degrees F.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Mixed, thermic Typic Xeropsamments
TYPICAL PEDON: Monvero loamy sand - on a south southwest facing slope of 26 percent, under red brome, desert needlegrass, indian ricegrass, Cooper goldenbush, California ephedra, California buckwheat and other grasses, forbs and shrubs. The elevation is 2,820 feet. (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise stated. When described on June 13, 1984 the soil was slightly moist below 15 inches.)
A1--0 to 4 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; moderate fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine roots; common very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 6 percent clay content; moderately alkaline (pH 8.2); clear smooth boundary. (2 to 6 inches thick)
A2--4 to 15 inches; grayish brown (10YR 5/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak fine and medium subangular blocky structure; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent clay content; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; 1 percent calcareous rock 2 to 10 mm in size; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (10 to 13 inches thick)
C1--15 to 23 inches; brown (10YR 5/3) loamy sand, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 5 percent clay content; slightly effervescent, disseminated lime; 1 percent calcareous rock, 2 to 10 mm in size; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); clear wavy boundary. (7 to 12 inches thick)
C2--23 to 31 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 4 percent clay content; violently effervescent, disseminated lime; 1 percent calcareous rock, 2 to 10 mm in size; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0); gradual wavy boundary. (7 to 11 inches thick)
C3--31 to 42 inches; light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine and medium roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 3 percent clay content; violently effervescent, disseminated lime; 1 percent of calcareous rock 2 to 10 mm in size; and 5 percent angular calcareous sandstone fragments 2 to 14 inches; moderately alkaline (pH 8.0). (5 to 12 inches thick)
2C4--42 to 60 inches; gray (10YR 6/1) loamy coarse sand, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; massive; soft, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few very fine roots; few very fine tubular and many very fine interstitial pores; 2 percent clay content; violently effervescent, disseminated lime; 1 percent calcareous rock, 2 to 10 mm in size and 10 percent angular calcareous sandstone fragments 2 to 14 inches; slightly alkaline (pH 7.8).
TYPE LOCATION: Fresno County, California; 5,900 feet northeast of Ciervo Peak, 75 feet east of BLM vegetation enclosure. About 1,800 feet east and 1,250 feet south of the northwest corner of section 4, T.17 S, R.13 E.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS: The moisture control section of 14 to 40 inches is moist from February 15 to April 15 and dry from June 1 to October 15 in most years. The soil temperature is above 47 degrees F from January 15 to December 15. The mean annual soil temperature is 65 to 70 degrees F. The calcium carbonate content is less than 5 percent increase over any underlying horizon. There is some dune micro relief under the shrubs. Organic matter is less than 1 percent.
The A horizon is 10YR 5/2, 5/3, 5/4, 6/3; or 2.5Y 7/2. Moist colors are 10YR 3/2, 3/3, 3/4, 4/2; or 2.5Y 4/2. Moist values below 4 are usually above 6 inches in depth. The clay content ranges from 4 to 7 percent. The lower part is slightly to strongly effervescent. Some pedons do not have calcareous rock 2 to 10 mm in size.
The upper part of the C horizon is 10YR 4/4, 5/2, 5/3, 6/2, or 6/4; or 2.5Y 7/2. Moist colors are 10YR 3/2, 3/4, 4/3, 5/4; or 2.5Y 4/4. The clay content ranges from 4 to 7 percent. It is strongly or violently effervescent. Some pedons do not have calcareous rock 2 to 10 mm in size.
The lower part of the C horizon is 10YR 4/2, 4/4, 4/6, 5/2, 6/1, 6/2; 2.5Y 7/2; 5Y 7/2 or 7/4. Moist colors are 10YR 3/2, 4/2, 5/4; 2.5Y 4/4; or 5Y 4/4. The clay content is 2 to 7 percent. It is mildly or moderately alkaline. Some pedons do not have the large fragments of sandstone.
COMPETING SERIES: These are the
Arnold,
Briones,
Calhi,
Corralitos,
Delhi,
Monoridge (T) and
Tujunga soils. Arnold soils have a paralithic contact within 60 inches and lack effervescence. Briones soils have a paralithic contact within 40 inches, slightly to strongly acid reactions and lack effervescence. Calhi soils have high percentages of exchangeable sodium and are alluvial (less than 15 percent slopes). Corralitos soils are neutral to strongly acid and do not have effervescence. Delhi soils are slightly acid to mildly alkaline, they do not have effervescence and are alluvial (less than 15 percent slope). Monoridge soils have a paralithic contact within 30 inches and have slopes of 30 to 65 percent. Tujunga soils have slightly acid to neutral A horizons, do not have effervescence and are alluvial (less than 9 percent slope).
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING: Monvero soils are on sideslopes of foothills and have slopes of 15 to 30 percent. Elevations range from 1,280 to 3,391 feet. The soils have formed in material weathered from calcareous sandstone of the Vaqueros formation. The climate is semiarid with hot dry summers and cool moist winters. The mean annual precipitation is about 10 to 12 inches. Mean January temperature is 46 degrees F; mean July temperature is 81 degrees F; mean annual temperature is 62 degrees F. The frost-free season is 250 to 275 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the competing Monocline (T) soils and the
Belgarra (T),
Exclose (T) and
Grazer (T) soils. Belgarra soils are fine textured and have a gypsic horizon. Exclose soils are fine-loamy textured. Grazer soils are fine textured and have a paralithic contact within 60 inches.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Somewhat excessively drained, medium runoff, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used as annual rangeland and wildlife habitat. The vegetation is red brome, desert needlegrass, indian ricegrass, goldenbush, California ephedra, California buckwheat and other grasses, forbs and shrubs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: These soils are in the Coast Range of California. They are not extensive.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Davis, California
SERIES PROPOSED: Fresno County, California, 1985. Name is coined.
REMARKS: These soils were formerly mapped as Duneland in the unpublished report, Soil Survey of Western Fresno, 1967. They are being differentiated by being classified and mapped. The pH determined by colorimetric method using Thymol Blue and Hellige-Truog Triplex indicators. Texture determined by hydrometer method. Presence of lime determined by 10 percent HCl.
National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.